


white is not the absence of color

by Demonic_activity



Series: Flash Bang #1 - Bingo (Team Green) [13]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, M/M, Snow, a biography by alec lightwood, growing up a shadowhunter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 10:28:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14400237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demonic_activity/pseuds/Demonic_activity
Summary: A sudden snowfall in the aftermath of a hunt catches Alec by surprise, but what baffles him more is its effects on the city and its people.Sometimes the simple joys in life are anything but simple.SH Flash Bang Bingo!Square: Snow daysTeam Green





	white is not the absence of color

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the prompt 'Snow days' from the SH hiatus flash bang bingo :)  
> Go team green! ♥
> 
> Beta-ed by the fabulous [Fatale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/femme/pseuds/Fatale)

It had started snowing by the time the last demons were vanquished, their fiery ashes – a last reminder of their perverse presence on earth – mixing in the air with the light flakes of snow that had started coming down, fluttering about before inevitably meeting their demise in the grimy gutters of New York.

Alec looked up in irritation at the icy wet slush blowing in his face that seemingly sought out any bit of uncovered skin it could find. _Damn it_ , Alec thought to himself. Now Magnus was going to be right about the need to bring gloves with him today.

It had been unexpectedly nice, hunting with his parabatai. He had taken the mission on somewhat of a whim, really, itching to get out of the Institute after long days of negotiations and paperwork. But he had to say, it felt good to fight alongside Jace again. It felt good to experience that rush once more, to get in that zone, that headspace, only reserved for the two of them, where half a glance was enough and every emotion or surge of adrenalin was experienced double in its intensity. As he and Jace rounded the corner on 7th and 2nd, however, they came to somewhat of a standstill. His parabatai raised an eyebrow at him in silent communication. Alec shook his head in answer, a little smile making his way to his face without him meaning to. He had only recently started noticing how this had quickly become a rather inevitable response to thinking about Magnus.

Jace rolled his eyes, “Alright, alright, I don’t know why I even asked. Later!” He took off in a jog towards the nearest subway station to take the L train uptown, gone within seconds due to his still activated strength rune.

Alec headed in the opposite direction, planning to catch the line at Delaney across Williamsburg Bridge. He ducked his head against the snowy wind, trying to shrug impossibly deeper into his jacket. With hands slightly trembling in the biting frost, he at least managed to apply a waterproof rune, but it did little to keep out the cold, so he set his jaw and picked up the pace.

Making his way across the East Village, he was surprised to see how many people were still out and about despite the late hour and the pretty terrible weather. A little ahead on the other side of the street, a little girl dashed out a doorway, squealing in a way that had Alec immediately on alert, adrenaline still thrumming quietly in his veins, quick to surface. But soon he concluded there was nothing besides unabashed joy in her voice as she ran about trying to catch snowflakes with her mittens. A toddler waddled out behind her, eyes turned heavenwards in an expression of awe and amazement. From the doorway, a woman nudged the boy forward gently, muttering words of encouragement Alec could still pick up with his enhanced hearing. Then she called out for the girl, “Grace, get back here! Your scarf!” She waved the yellow and red colored piece through the air. After impatiently standing still long enough for the scarf to be tied around her neck, the girl was off again, this time holding her little brother’s hand as she excitedly babbled to him about everything you could do with snow, the man and woman who Alec assumed to be their parents following close behind, arms linked, her head resting on his shoulder.

Alec shook his head when he noticed he’d been standing still, watching the familial moment. He was going to freeze here on the sidewalk if he didn’t get a move on. Suddenly he felt a lot more sympathy for some sort of snowfigure the children were planning on making.

If he thought the family of four was an exception, however, he would be proven wrong – again: the evening snow attracted quite a lot of attention, some people stepping out just to have a look while others were keen on making the most of the opportunity in their downtime, laughing and playing in the white fluff. Already, snowballs went flying through the air. To Alec’s left, a bar door opened and loud rock music was suddenly escaping into the street, and echoing down the block, as two women stepped out, giggling in what he suspected to be slight intoxication. One of them noticed the world of white around them first and exclaimed in wonder, “Ooooh it’s snowing.”

“Yes I can see that,” the other woman commented drily.

Ignoring that, the woman spread her arms out wide as though trying to cover as much of her body in the flakes as possible, twirling around while letting out peals of high-pitched laughter.

The other woman looked on fondly for a moment before tugging on her arm mid-twirl and gently pulling her onwards. “Let’s get home, weirdo," she said, brushing some snow from the face and hair of the woman, who had started pouting. Shaking her head the other woman added, “Where we can watch the snow from the window, warm and safely inside.” The woman’s face cleared at this prospect and they shared a kiss before they started in Alec’s direction. Even if he weren’t glamoured he’d be surprised if they had noticed him there, completely wrapped up in each other, sharing giggles and kisses while trying not to get any of the powdered fluff in their mouths.

 _Huh_. Alec had never given much thought to snow. If anything it was kind of annoying when it melted in your socks and froze on the street, causing everything from mild discomfort to serious safety hazards. Shadowhunters didn’t celebrate Christmas, or any other kind of holiday, really, so the seasons coming and going just meant changes in weather, which just meant changes in clothing and maybe an extra blanket on your bed. So he had never considered a mere meteorological phenomenon such as snow as something that was fun, aesthetically pleasing or…. romantic?

But the evidence was very much around him, and Alec wondered if he had just never noticed before. It was true that being with Magnus had made him more aware of mundanes and their habits, of TV shows (something about a race with drags??), and strange traditions (expensive commercials gaining more traction than the major sports event they’re scheduled around??), but for the angel’s sake, this was the _weather_ , of all things, and it seemed to stir something fond and nostalgic in people that Alec could not at all relate to. It was a little … eerie, to say the least.

The whole subway ride and walk to Magnus’ loft he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Eventually he concluded that if he tried to forget, you know, that his hands were still pretty numb and his feet wet and freezing, and that white was a color he associated with mourning – yeah if he forgot all _that_ , he guessed he could kind of see it. See the appeal. If you’re properly dressed and not in a hurry to get anywhere it might be kind of… nice looking? Like pure and soft? And the way it muffled the world like a blanket, dampened the sounds of a bustling city – that _was_ kind of special. More than that, it seemed like it softened people themselves somewhat as well, everyone becoming a little more compassionate and understanding as the snow slowed down a congested metropolis that was otherwise so focused on getting from one place to the other as quickly as possible. Like it forced everyone to be still and take a moment to reflect on the driving factors of daily life. Alec frowned, maybe he was reading too much into what was simply frozen crystalized precipitation. But it was frustrating that he didn’t _know_ ; could only guess at what it meant to people. The difference between sympathy and empathy, he supposed.

He could presume, he could maybe understand, but he couldn’t relate.

_Yet_

… Maybe.

Maybemaybemaybe. It sounded like the sweetest and most agonizing promise Alec could ever tell himself.

Something fluttered nervously in his stomach.

He didn’t have any memories about playing in the snow, or playing much at all, and maybe Magnus didn’t either, but Magnus had always been more rooted in mundane culture. And watching children, lovers, families, reveling in the snowfall, he wondered… well, Alec often wondered about them, about them _together_ , a future… but it was possible that he just wondered a little too much for his own health.

It was almost completely dark in the loft as he stepped inside, the only illumination coming from the streets below and the city ahead. Alec immediately expelled his icy jacket and drenched boots at the door, peeling off his wet socks while he was at it. It seemed a little early for Magnus to be in bed already, and indeed, he was not. Frowning, Alec made his way across the loft, but before he had even begun properly looking, the mystery was resolved. He chuckled softly at the sight. Slumped low on the couch, book half on his face and mouth slightly agape, lay Magnus. Alec turned on a light and crouched down beside the couch, gingerly nudging his boyfriend. “Hey,” he said softly and Magnus started blinking groggily. Finding Alec’s gaze, he smiled, returning his greeting, but as Alec softly caressed the side of his face, he hissed. “Alexander,” Magnus complained sleepily and took Alec’s hands in his, frowning. “Your hands are freezing.” He mumbled while stifling a yawn, “Didn’t I tell you to bring gloves?” It was probably meant to sound at least a little admonishing, but there was always that undertone of concern, of endless kindness and care.

Alec let out a sigh, “I know, I know.” Magnus rolled his eyes before closing them again and with a low huff he slumped back on the couch, still barely half awake. Alec nudged him again, “Hey Magnus?” His boyfriend cracked open one eye, clearly wondering _what now_ even if he didn’t voice it, and Alec loved him so much it tightened his chest and his throat. He couldn’t help it if he smiled a little sheepishly and his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper.

“It’s snowing.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading !  
> Come find me on [Tumblr](https://demonic-activity.tumblr.com)


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